Firstlight Media’s cloud-native platform has broken new ground with its support for the simultaneous launch on Struum of the first wave of more than 50 content providers and the first implementation of a credits-based subscription model in the OTT industry.
The Firstlight Media platform, built on Gen5 architecture, harnesses an array of cloud-native technologies that allows Struum to aggregate and make available content from around the world, to enable content providers to maintain their own brands within the Struum ecosystem and to drive personalisation across the full range of networks - all while supporting Struum’s novel, credits-based business model.
Struum flipped the switch this week on an early preview via the iOS App store, Chromecast and web browsers. Struum has finalised deals with more than 50 services and content providers to make their programming available on the platform - more than 25 of those will be available during the early preview period. Initial partners include Tastemade, Tribeca, Cheddar News, Kocowa, Dekkoo, Magellan TV, History Hit, Gusto, Young Hollywood, Indieflix, Filmbox, Echoboom Sports, Social Club TV, Cinedigm, Magnolia Pictures, Little Dot Studios, Group 9, Stingray, and Filmhub.
By summer, Firstlight Media is expected to be supporting availability of more than 50 Struum services on a single cloud-native platform. Firstlight Media’s Gen5 architecture is designed to build and run scalable applications in the cloud using cloud-native technologies, including containers, microservices, a service mesh, APIs, and immutable infrastructure. The Gen5 technology stack provides significantly better performance, a modular approach for feature expansion, continuous delivery for rapid iteration, and built-in scalability, observability and security.
“At Struum, we are reducing the barrier for consumers to access the content they want. Once on the service, Struum provides better content discovery and recommendations; giving any content provider the ability to build a thriving audience," said Eugene Liew, co-founder and chief technology officer for Struum. “Firstlight Media’s cloud-based platform offers the scalability, the agility and the extensibility that will make it possible for our content partners to connect with viewers across genres, geographies and screens.”
“The complexity of hosting, delivering and personalizing experiences across dozens of brands at launch requires extreme cloud orchestration and a multi-tenant approach,” said Juan Martin, CTO and co-founder of Firstlight Media. “Using a technology stack that is unparalleled in the OTT industry, we’re making it possible for Struum to create a new content experience that stretches the limits of viewer discovery and engagement.”
Struum’s mission is to streamline streaming by providing viewers one central destination and a single monthly subscription to access a huge array of programming that serves their interests from across the increasingly cluttered global streaming landscape. The platform’s first-of-its-kind credit-based subscription model offers the most cost-effective and efficient way for people to sample and discover programming as they spend their monthly credits to unlock only the films and TV episodes they want to watch from dozens of participating services and content partners - without the hassle of navigating and paying for multiple subscription video services. As viewers continue to use the platform, Struum is also able to provide new programming suggestions from across all of its content partners based on viewing habits so they can easily find new content they may enjoy watching.
